Question

What is National Rural Employment Guarantee Act – 2005? Discuss.

Hint:

Remember the triad: 100 days guarantee + work on demand + unemployment allowance. Add Gram Sabha planning and social audit to complete any NREGA answer.

Answer 1

Meaning and Aim:
The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (now called Mahatma Gandhi NREGA) is a rights–based law that guarantees at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. Its core aim is to provide livelihood security, create durable rural assets and strengthen grassroots democracy.
Salient Features:
1. Legal Right to Work: Time-bound employment on demand; if work is not given within 15 days of application, the applicant is entitled to unemployment allowance.
2. Coverage & Eligibility: All rural districts; any adult member of a rural household can apply with the Gram Panchayat and obtain a Job Card.
3. Nature of Works: Water conservation, drought proofing, flood control, land development, sanitation, rural connectivity, and other public works that create durable assets.
4. Wages & Worksite Facilities: Wages paid as per notified schedule; equal wages for men and women; worksite facilities like safe drinking water, first-aid and crèche where needed.
5. Funding Pattern: Primarily funded by the Union Government (wages fully/mostly by Centre; materials and admin cost shared with States).
6. Decentralised Implementation: Gram Sabha plans and approves works; Gram Panchayats execute many works; social audits by the Gram Sabha ensure community oversight.
7. Transparency & Accountability: Mandatory muster rolls, online MIS, social audit, and provision for grievance redressal.
Significance:
- Provides a social safety net in lean seasons and during shocks, reducing distress migration.
- Empowers women through high participation and direct bank/post-office payments.
- Creates productive assets (ponds, check dams, roads) that support agriculture and livelihoods.
Challenges (Brief):
Delays in wage payments, variability in asset quality, local capacity gaps, and occasional leakages require continual improvements in planning, monitoring, and timely fund flow.
Conclusion:
NREGA is a landmark welfare legislation that transforms work into a legal entitlement. When implemented with strong community participation and transparency, it simultaneously supports incomes and strengthens rural infrastructure.